Pre 1920's- Sydney Observatory Images

[Lumen Miner]

Hi all!! I am sure most enthusiasts, would have already tracked copies of these plates down.

These are held by the Powerhouse Museum, they have been recently uploaded to their complete online inventory. I am aware that Maquarie Uni holds more, yet these are online and viewable.

The images uploaded were small, yet with Opera enlarge page, and tweaking their zoom function I managed to aquire some decent copies.

Thought this may save others some time, if they were interested too.
I have added text desciptions quickly, sorry I have encroached on some of the images. I wish I hadn't.


These images are NOT copyrighted and therefore free to use for educational means.

If anyone is aware of a copyright infringement please let me know and I will remove them.

[Lumen Miner]

Eat your heart out Bird... :rofl: :P

[Lumen Miner]

Their new enlarger allowed them to broaden, the range of targets.

[Lumen Miner]

Looks like even back then, sometimes the stars wouldn't come out to play. ;)

The lightning is not from Sydney Observatory.

[Lumen Miner]

The MilkyWay

[Lumen Miner]

ETA Carinae 1891

[Lumen Miner]

Orion 1890

[Lumen Miner]

Ok then, guess everyone has already seen these before.

Well, I thought they were neat anyway. ;)

[Baron von Richthofen]

Those photos are fantastic, they should be all restored and put them on display or make prints and put them in a book with the history of them:2thumbs:

[Lumen Miner]

Yes they are indeed! I think The Powerhouse Museum has done itself and the prints a great justice, by digitising them on a user friendly database for the public to view.

You should really have a check of their inventory. Some really interesting stuff, that would never been seen otherwise. All locked away in their archives warehouse.

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/

[coldspace]

I'll respond Mitchell, only just logged on :thumbsup:.

These photo's are fantastic, a real piece of astronomy history. Thanks for showing them. I like astronomy history it shows how much technology has come.
Thanks again for putting them up.

Regards Matt.

[Lumen Miner]

Oh, don't get me wrong!! :) I wasn't being spiteful, yet starting to doubt their relevance...
The last two comments have assured me their merit... Thanks :)

Yes, it is nice to think even the Sydney Observatory, had quite small limits compared to current technologies at one time.

You can imagine the time it took to set up these slides, compared to us now.

[coldspace]

I knew you were not been spitefull.

Can you imagine what those guys all those years back would have thought if they could see what we do now. We are lucky to live in this age now,
imagine what will be done in a 100 years from now.

Matt.

[Lumen Miner]

I agree with you totally. I would think though the "challenge" would have been very exciting too... I kinda wish I lived back then... Almost... Well maybe not. ;)

[DavidU]

They could all do with more data, stack & wavelets in Registax re curved and layered in CS3,Ha as lum would give the stars a bit of punch, guiding is a bit iffy:lol:
Just think, the most technically advanced thing they probably had was a light globe !
Great shots thanks

[Lumen Miner]

:rofl: Very primitive work indeed.
I thought they deserved to be collated into one location. I would like to, collect more for personal interest.

[mithrandir]

The warehouse at Castle Hill is open (although not free) the 2nd Saturday each month. I wonder if they could be talked into another astronomy themed day this year.

[erick]

Thanks Mitchell, very interesting.

[Lumen Miner]

No problems at all,was really just documenting them for my own purposes and thought others may like to see also.



Interesting I must look into that.

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol: cool pics Mitchell it goes to show how far technology has gone camera wise :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I guess they didnt have photoshop back then :lol:

[Baron von Richthofen]

Here is some photos I found of the building and dome, photo taken by Sydney Observatory the tarantula nebular I think
The last photo is only for comparison to the old black and white :eyepop:

[Lumen Miner]

Those are awesome! When is the last one dated? Colour??

I wonder.... reckon some of these shots are good enough to run through processing software...? Wonder if we could bring out more detail in them / curb some errors.... Though I love them how they are... I wonder what is in them, which they couldn't have seen without processing?

I'm going to give it a quick go. ;)

[Lumen Miner]

If you have managed to aquire any early astrograph images, please do not hesitate to post them here. I am sure everyone would appreciate seeing more early efforts pre- 1920's. Thanks

[Baron von Richthofen]

I am amazed at the precision of the tracking given that length of exposure in those day to get a photo like that
The last photo is only for comparison to the old black and white

[iceman]

I love the Jupiter ones. Gee the GRS was big back then!

[Baron von Richthofen]

Observatory, Sydney, 1874

[Lumen Miner]

Yes it is good tracking hey!! Oh, I should have guessed, thanks for the comparison.. ;)


I believe that was taken, whilst their main lens was on back order. The GRS is huge isn't it!!

[Davros]

Its just magic to think that people have been born, lived full and long lives and died of old age between the time these images were taken and when i was born. :thumbsup: Thanks for posting it up.

[Lumen Miner]

No problems at all! :) I must search for more.

[Lumen Miner]

This is a photo of the "Star Camera" setup. The second is the partial remains of it. It is responsible for taking these shots. I believe they were all taken with it.